Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2015
71. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will revise the requirement that school leavers must have left school for three months before they are eligible under the jobseeker's allowance scheme. [29856/15]
View answerSocial welfare legislation states that a person is not entitled to jobseeker’s allowance while attending a course of study. It also provides that a person shall be regarded as attending a course of study:-
· for 3 months immediately following the completion or the leaving by that person of second level education or the completion by him or her of the leaving certificate examination of the Department of Education and Skills, whichever is the later;
· for the duration of an academic year, or
· for the period immediately following the completion of one academic year, other than the final academic year of a course of study, up to the beginning of the following year.
Where an increase in respect of a qualified child is being paid on behalf of the school leaver (for example, if their parents are in receipt of a social welfare payment) this increase will continue to be paid for the 3 months after the person leaves school.
The disqualification for three months is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. The majority of school leavers make applications in their final year in school to engage in further education or training. Many of these courses start in September each year. If school leavers were eligible for a jobseeker’s payment for the summer months this could prove a significant disincentive for them to further their education by taking up available places.
There are no plans to amend jobseeker’s allowance legislation in relation to this issue.
